Jeremiah 41:3

3 omnes quoque Iudaeos qui erant cum Godolia in Masphat et Chaldeos qui repperti sunt ibi et viros bellatores percussit Ismahel

Jeremiah 41:3 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 41:3

Ishmael also slew all the Jews that were with him, [even] with
Gedaliah, at Mizpah
Not only those that were at table, but that were in the city also. Josephus F6 says, that having slain those that were at the feast with him, he went out in the night, and slew all the Jews in the city, and the soldiers that were left by the Babylonians in it; but this cannot be understood of all the individuals there, or of the main body of the people, for they were carried captive by him, ( Jeremiah 41:9 ) ; but of those that opposed him, or were able to avenge the death of their governor, and he might suspect would do it: and the Chaldeans that were found there, [and] the men of war;
or, "even the men of war" F7; this describes more particularly who they were that were slain, those of the Jews, and especially the Chaldeans, who were in military service; either the bodyguards of the governor, or the city guards, or both, whom Ishmael thought it advisable to cut off, lest they should fall upon him, and revenge the death of Gedaliah, and prevent his further designs.


FOOTNOTES:

F6 Antiqu. l. 10. c. 9. sect. 4.
F7 (hmxlmh yvna ta) "[inquam] viros belli", Schmidt; "bellatores scilicet", Piscator.

Jeremiah 41:3 In-Context

1 et factum est in mense septimo venit Ismahel filius Nathaniae filii Elisama de semine regali et optimates regis et decem viri cum eo ad Godoliam filium Ahicam in Masphat et comederunt ibi panes simul in Masphat
2 surrexit autem Ismahel filius Nathaniae et decem viri qui erant cum eo et percusserunt Godoliam filium Ahicam filii Saphan gladio et interfecerunt eum quem praefecerat rex Babylonis terrae
3 omnes quoque Iudaeos qui erant cum Godolia in Masphat et Chaldeos qui repperti sunt ibi et viros bellatores percussit Ismahel
4 secundo autem die postquam occiderat Godoliam nullo adhuc sciente
5 venerunt viri de Sychem et de Silo et de Samaria octoginta viri rasi barbam et scissis vestibus et squalentes munera et tus habebant in manu ut offerrent in domo Domini
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.